Influence of marine algae (Schizochytrium spp.) dietary supplementation on doe performance and progeny meat quality

A study was conducted on a total of 240 primiparous does and their 1184 kits. Does were divided into two experimental groups of 120 each and their kits into four groups. Does were all submitted to artificial insemination on the same day; both groups were fed commercial diets supplemented respectively with coconut oil (2 g/kg) and dehydrated alfalfa (2 g/kg) (Group D−) or cultivated single-cell marine algae (4 g/kg) characterized by a high content of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) (primarily docosahexaenoic acid, DHA) (Group D+). Kits born from the 200 does that became pregnant (100 in the first group and 100 in the second) were assigned to 4 experimental groups (2 treated and 2 controls) and received, like their mothers, commercial diets with or without LCPUFA supplementation. Results showed a substantial similarity in the reproductive efficiency of does and zootechnical and slaughtering performances of growing–fattening rabbits. The quality of loin and thigh lipids also were influenced not only by the presence of algae in the feeds administered to weaned and finishing rabbits, but also by n-3 LCPUFA supplementation in the mothers' diet.